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Sunday, 29 March 2009

The Committee for the support of rights of Sufis and Students has requested that friends and supporters of human rights to gather on 2nd April 2009 from 12:00 noon to 2 pm outside the head quarters of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi in London; in order to protest against his extreme views and open support for destruction of Sufi sacred sites and house of worships in Iran.We hope that by showing your open and boisterous support we can not only show our distain for Ayatollah’s views but put a stop to his open support for persecution of Sufis and other minority groups in Iran . By supporting this open protest you will also be supporting the rights of students and Sufis who are tortured and imprisoned without charge or justification in Iran .We hope you can all join us in this important protest in support of Human rights.

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Students of Iran has issued an open letter announcing the success of its photos and slide show exhibitions in different cities of Europe .

These exhibitions were shown concurrently in several cities such as Brussels , Koln, Lyon and Strasbourg . The exhibitions were well received by many concerned and compassionate Europeans. These enthusiastic visitors have requested for the continuation of these kinds of displays and revealing programs, which would break the silence against the brutality and oppression of the Iranian government toward Iranian Sufis and students.

These presentations clearly portrayed the level of destruction of the Sufis’ sacred places, and prayer centers (Hosseiniehs), in various cities of Iran , such as Qom , Isfahan and Boroujerd. These exhibitions also provided documentation and ample evidence related to apprehensions and tortures of Sufis and students.

Moreover, these exhibitions showed the pictures of the destroyed Sunni mosques and schools in the city of Zabol and other cities in Iran as well; followed by informative discussions among various Sunni groups. A collection of photos depicting mass demonstrations by University and college students in places such as Tehran , Shiraz and Isfahan were shown to the interested and peace loving audience.

Because of the enormous interest shown by visitors, the committee is planning to conduct similar chains of informative exposes in different cities of Europe such as Stockholm , Copenhagen , Malmo , Amsterdam , Rotterdam and London

Tuesday, 10 March 2009

The demolition of the Nematollahi Goanabadi Prayer center, “Hosseinieh”, in Isfahan , Iran took place on Tuesday February 24th 2009, at 12 A.M. This destruction happened in the middle of the night unexpectedly and without any prior warnings. Later on that day, when Sufis gathered for the prayer around their shattered prayer center, they were faced with the brutal attacks from the special governmental forces. The intensity of these atrocious acts against the peaceful Muslims have stunned the people all around the world, particularly, since no provocation, harsh remarks and wrong gesture were initiated by Sufis. This recurring oppression toward Sufis is taking place in violation of the mandate issued by Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamehnei on protecting the rights of all Muslims.

A few days later, the City Officials in Isfahan announced that the demolition was in accordance with the Ruling of #100 of the city commission! This act was absolutely at odds with all previous agreements regarding preservation of this Hosseinieh, which is located next to the mausoleum of Dervish Nasser Ali in Takhte Foulad cemetery, as a place of the Cultural Heritage. As such this Hosseinieh were to be protected and immune from and zoning by laws. Hence, the demolition of the Hosseinieh and suppression of Sufis have turned into a very complex situation.

On Wednesday March 12, 2009, the mystery unfolds itself and we found out the reasons this puzzling issue. Javad Arian-Manesh the representative from Mashhad and Kalat in Majlis [parliament] said:

Link:http://www.insideofiran.com/en/?p=985

Defending Baha’ism, Wahabism and Sufism in Islamic Republic of Iran is a Non-Issue.

On the other hand Kazem Jalali, the speaker from the National Security and Foreign Policy:Link:http://www.insideofiran.com/en/?p=984

Promoting Baha’ism, Wahabism and Sufism is the enemies approach to confront the Islamic regime.

The two parliamentarians have independently expressed their views to Rasa News Agency (political news division), stating that the oppression of Sufis and the destruction of their prayer centers are legal and legitimate acts. Because in the Islamic Republic of Iran Sufis have no legal rights not even as a religious minority or a sect of Islam. Although religious minorities have representatives in the parliament such as Zoroastrians, Assyrians, Christians, and Jews have representatives in the parliament, however, the followers of Sufis are denied the right to have a prayer place and to perform their prayer services.

In their statements, these two representatives of the parliament (Javad Arian-Manesh and Kazem Jalali) have placed the Sufis, Baha’is and Wahabis in the same category. This is in line with the chief public prosecutor standing accusing Baha’is as spies and Wahabis as terrorists. Also the Imam Jom’ah of Rasht has called the Sufism a deviation and a diversion of Islam and grouped them as satanic devil worshipers.

At the minimum, we hope these writings will inform the people around the globe that Sufis are peaceful individuals, not guilty of any wrongdoings and are not responsible for any public disorder. They have not disobeyed any laws and there have not been any dispute or any problems over their “Namaz Khanehs” with any governmental agencies in the past.

Today, it is apparent that the systematic oppression of the Sufis in Iran is based on a political agenda. The aim of this plot is to wipe out all the Sufis inside of Iran particularly the Nematollahi Goanabadi Sufi order. Their master plan was published in a book by Mehdi Emadi, one of the ideologists of the Islamic Republic, called “Hassan Basri” the provocative face of Tasavof.

Therefore, in order to defend their legal and civil rights of worship as Iranian Shia Muslims, all Sufis and in particular the Nematollahi Goanabadi Sufis call on all the international Human Rights Organizations and Dr. Asma Jahangir the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights to stop these inhumane atrocities that are affecting the lives of more than two million people in Iran. We are requesting their outmost effective use of power and tools necessary to bring a stop to this eradication of ideas and beliefs against our Sufi fellow countrymen.

Friday, 6 March 2009

06/03/09According to the latest news, Judicial and the Intelligence apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran have begun releasing more than 8500 of the Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufis who have been detained in the Evin prison in Tehran, since Saturday February 22nd 2009.

Sufis driving licenses were taken, salary stubs were withheld along with their birth certificates. They had to submit to a legal oat consent and agreement that they shall appear before the judge, and in some cases a bail, close to100 millions of Tomans, were set before they release. However, there are thirty other Sufis remain in solitary confinement in Section 240 in the Evin prison.

The Dervishes have been interrogated repeatedly and systematically and tortured severely. The inhuman treatments of these innocent Sufis resulted in a sudden heart attack for Mr. Ali Akbar Bonakdarpour who was rushed to the intensive care unit by his tormentors. The rest of the people who are being held in single cells are denied contacts and visitation by their family members and are being brutally mistreated.

The lawyers have not been granted permission to meet with their clients since their arrests. The Sufis are being held without committing any crimes or any wrongdoings what so ever and they are not being told why they have been arrested for.

Unfortunately, we do not have access to the complete list of the names of people in prison, but those who were recently released, have provided us the following names:

The first goal of detention and questioning of the jailed Sufis is to obtain information.

The second goal is using the procedure called “Tavab Sazi”. This approach of forced interrogation is designed by the Intelligence apparatus to fabricate lies and plan a scheme by compiling false confessions in the name of the detained Sufis, in order to make a case against the Gonabadi Dervishes. Eventually, this will further their plan to wipe out Sufism from Iran.

The third goal is implementing a detailed plan for shattering and destroying the activities of all the non-profit organizations affiliated with the Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufi path.. The arrest and the torture of Mr. Ali Akbar Bonakdarpour in this case clearly demonstrate the official interrogators intent to find out more about the charitable and non- profit “Reza Organization”.

The fourth goal is to put a stop to all the web sites and the internet activities related to the Sufis. The police and the Intelligence services have failed in their repeated attempts to stop the internet sites by filtering, hacking and blocking methods. In order to compensate their unsuccessful attempts at sabotage in these matters, the Intelligence group continue to arrest and torture those whom they think are responsible. They are trying to find a clue as who the sources behind the internet web sites are.

Due to their ignorance, they will not succeed in their deceitful ways. Sufis’ actions are based on their true faith and their responsibilities toward spreading the True and Spiritual Islam. This struggle will not be stopped by harassing and detaining Sufis. Hundreds and thousands will step forward, raise the flag of true Islam, and walk on the path of God.

The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Iranian Students calls all the International Human Rights Organizations to join forces and support us for the immediate release of the these innocent Sufis imprisoned by the government.

As you are informed by now, Darvishes in Iran are being constantly under direct and systematic oppression by the Iranian government. As of now there have not been any legal discourses, laws and rules under the Islamic Republic judicial systems to protect the dervishes and their civil rights. The destruction and the demolition of their place of prayers (Namaz Khaneh) in addition to the endless suppression of the Darvishes are becoming widespread and ordinary practices in today’s Iran. This is an unprecedented dangerous heresy that may cause and bring about unfortunate and regrettable devastations.

The suppression of Sufis in Iran has been rapidly increasing for the past few years which include many different incidents that are stated in enclosed attachments for your kind consideration. These oppressions include the destruction of the Prayer places in the different cities namely, Tehran, Qom, Boroujerd, Esfahan, Shahr-e-Kord, and Kish Island, and arresting, detaining and jailing Sufi followers in these cities.. In addition, the Iranian government is disregarding and violating the Darvish’s basic legal rights. As soon as the government finds out about an individual’s affiliation with Sufism he/she is immediately stripped of their job and is faced with many difficulties. There have been instances of disbarring of licenses of the lawyers defending Sufi clients. i.e., Mustafa Daneshjoo, Omid Behrouzi, and the expulsion of college students ,such as Mohammad Ismail Salahi, who were studying in the University and other educational institutions, thereby breaking the barriers of respect and disrespecting the sufi masters and the elders of Darvishes and imposing house arrest on them, unable to travel or even reside in their own hometown, as well as illegal entry into their houses, taking their belongings and sealing off their property and possessions across the country..

Considering that the Islamic Republic is one of the signatories and participants of the international conventions intended to respect and uphold the right of religious and ethnic minorities, their oppressive approach towards the minorities on one hand and the silence and the lack of objection of the legal and the justice system of Iran on the other hand and also the lack of freedom of speech and the obligatory silence on the part of the independent religious scholars on these situations is clearly at odds with the convention’s rules and regulations. It is such a hypo racy that the same people, who have no regards for human rights or the right of each ethnic and religious minority within Iran, claim that the rights of Shi’ia and Islamic faith have been violated by protesting and writing to the media outlets.

What the Iranian government is doing to its fellow Shi’ia citizens is against the Islamic laws and the international rules and policies. Continuously, there have been daily programs of widespread and systematic atrocities throughout the country for destroying the holy places of worship through issuing Fatwas by a group called ” Amerin”, so-called government proxies.. They have destroyed the many “Namaz Khaneh”, insulted, attacked the people as they were praying during the month of Moharam, in the city of Qom, and arrested one twelve hundred fifty innocent individuals. They expelled the Imam Jamaat (Mohandes Amir Labaf) from his home town, and detained him for more than five years, which is clearly against the teachings of the Koran according to the verse:: “ان الصلوه تنهی عن الفحشاء و المنکر و لذکر الله هو اکبر”. Attacking and beating people while they are praying leads to more violence, destruction and moral decay of the society..

Even though some the followers of Sufism have invited these fundamentalists to participate in a group discussion to discuss these problems, there have not been any responses as of now. Ironically, these atrocities are happening now that the Human Right organizations mandate countries to recognize the individual rights of each citizen in their home countries by providing them protection against fundamentalism and extremism.

Surely the OIC will not be silent against these violent attacks and will do what is necessary to provide unity and harmony for all followers of Islamic faith.

We are requesting your outmost cooperation in this dire situation. If the government of Iran is not willing or capable of stopping this small group of extremists who are against the rest of the Islamic world, then there should be another solution to resolve this matter. We are hoping that these unresolved cases will be investigated by proper authorities and the outcome will be documented for the public view. Thank you very much.